RCL adventure ocean - how strict on potty training?

[ozziebound]

Well my title says it all! My wife and I are going to be on ovation of the seas for eleven nights and our younger son just turned three and is totally not potty trained. We tried a three day crash course over Christmas but it didn't work at all! 

We have until may 2nd but we're a little worried he won't make it... So does anyone have a sense of how strict they are? Will they let him join but call us if he has an accident? Will they reject him outright and then he'll have no programming?

Thanks! 

Adam 

[mjkacmom]

I think that after a couple of accidents he’ll be booted. As someone who has PT’d 5 kids, boys and girls, the easiest/fastest method for me was naked butt. After a few days of no accidents, move on to loose pants (no underwear). After that is tackled, move on to very loose underwear. Pull-ups just for sleeping. Concentrate on pee training, since poop training can come later.

 

ETA, if he has more than 2/3 pee accidents with naked butt, he might not be ready. I started my twins at the same time, ds went back into diapers, Dd was totally trained in 5 days. Three months later, ds was totally trained in 5 days.

Edited February 1, 2019 by mjkacmom

[kitkat343]

At 3, your son will potty train quite quickly once he's ready.  Mine kept telling me he "really liked diapers" and showed no interest until one day two months after he turned 3, he turned to me and asked if he could wear firetruck underwear.  I explained that he could choose underwear, but that it wouldn't feel comfortable if he gets it wet.  He was trained in two days.  You might want to either buy him special underwear you know he'd love, or take him to the store and let him pick out underwear he'd like.  Also, the pools don't allow swim diapers so that might be some extra incentive to learn.

 

None of the following will be much help for you, but for others facing the same issue please note that:  NCL gives the parents of kids in diapers beepers, and they will beep you when you need to come and change your kid.   Parents cannot leave their children behind on port days and go ashore without them if they are not potty trained since someone must always be there to change diapers.  Cunard changes diapers, and Carnival changes diapers for children aged 2, but not for children older than three.  

[mjkacmom]

Not all kids are the same. My next door neighbor’s youngest was the same age as my oldest. She assured me that my Dd would potty train easily after 3, as her oldest just decided to give up on diapers. I actively trained her (waiting until 3 was probably a mistake, I learned with 3/4/5 that it’s easier before then). At 4, her son still didn’t express any interest in potty training. She actively trained him, but not in time for preschool, unfortunately.

[gerif]

Since the OP has already booked a cruise on RCI, mentioning how other cruise lines deal with these issues is not very helpful. Adventure Ocean has a strict three strikes and you’re out policy and no pull-ups allowed. You’ve gotten some good advice here but you might try holding out the “fun” “camp” if he learns to use the potty as a bit of a carrot may help. Also let him know if he is not trained, he also cannot use the pools - no swim diapers permitted. That might also help. 

[ozziebound]

Thanks so much for all your responses! 

 

Here's a followup... It seems like there's no programming available on RCI for a kid over 18 months and younger than 3 (or older than three but not potty trained... Is that right?

Or does the nursery go until 3? 

[mjkacmom]

If there is a nursery, it goes until 3, but I do t think they take kids who are 3.

[cello56]

And by potty trained, they mean COMPLETELY potty trained. They have to be able to pull pants down, get on toilet unassisted, wipe by himself, pull pants and underwear back up, wash hands. All done by child independently. 

[kitkat343]

"Since the OP has already booked a cruise on RCI, mentioning how other cruise lines deal with these issues is not very helpful. "  It's not helpful to the OP, but the reason I wrote about other lines is that other parents are likely to be viewing these forums and hopefully it will be helpful for someone else.  

 

Personally, I didn't know that swim diapers were forbidden on my first two cruises (I took my first two cruises before I had kids so I wasn't paying attention to that rule) and only learned about that rule, and which lines have splash pads for children in swim diapers from reading someone's forum post in which they had booked a cruise that didn't have any splash pads for children who weren't potty trained, and people  replied explaining which lines offer splash pads for children who aren't potty trained.  So when I booked my first cruise for my oldest, I knew he wouldn't be able to use the pools but I decided it would be worth it to see the Panama Canal.  

 

"And by potty trained, they mean COMPLETELY potty trained. They have to be able to pull pants down, get on toilet unassisted, wipe by himself, pull pants and underwear back up, wash hands. All done by child independently. "

 

This is a really good point.  I forgot to mention because of this, please select the easiest clothing for your child to remove so they can get to the bathroom quickly and not get frustrated.  Make sure he or she is used to shorts without buttons or zippers that can be easily pulled on and off.  Plus, if you are potty training get your kid a lot of these shorts or sweatpants, since it will be a little easier to potty train if your child doesn't struggle with his or her clothes.  

 

 

[ozziebound]

Just confirming...ovation has a splash zone for kids in swim diapers, right?


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[6rugrats]

39 minutes ago, ozziebound said:

Just confirming...ovation has a splash zone for kids in swim diapers, right?


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Not sure, but they do have one on Freedom, Liberty, Independence, Oasis, Allure, Quantum, Anthem, Adventure & Majesty.

Edited February 4, 2019 by 6rugrats

[williamsk]

RCL worked in that age group was very strict, told my husband my son was out after one accident. The guy was a total xxxxx to my son when it happened, set him back a bit as he was left sobbing alone in the bathroom. Apparently that's not cruiseline policy? Maybe just the Indy program was the issue.

[momto2js]

On 2/7/2019 at 5:51 PM, williamsk said:

RCL worked in that age group was very strict, told my husband my son was out after one accident. The guy was a total xxxxx to my son when it happened, set him back a bit as he was left sobbing alone in the bathroom. Apparently that's not cruiseline policy? Maybe just the Indy program was the issue.

 The major issue is that the staff are not allowed to help AT ALL.  So if there is an accident, their options are pretty  limited, especially for a male employee (not that it should make a difference, but it often does) parking him in the bathroom may have been the only option.  I am not saying it was not unkind, or the only option.  But because of strict hands off policies, the staff often finds few options.

 

[RSLeesburg]

On 2/4/2019 at 2:03 PM, ozziebound said:

Just confirming...ovation has a splash zone for kids in swim diapers, right?


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Yes.  The Quantum class ships have splash pad, and they also have nursery.  

[ozziebound]

Yes.  The Quantum class ships have splash pad, and they also have nursery.  

Thanks...
But if we have a kid who's three and almost a half, but not potty trained, he won't be allowed in the nursary I'm guessing, right?
It would be a good fall back option if we just won't learn in time!

Adam


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[RSLeesburg]

4 minutes ago, ozziebound said:

 

Thanks...
But if we have a kid who's three and almost a half, but not potty trained, he won't be allowed in the nursary I'm guessing, right?
It would be a good fall back option if we just won't learn in time!

Adam


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Right.  Only allowed in Adventure Ocean.  

 

When we took our son, we booked as he was PT and we told him that he needed to be fully PT to go to kids club.  He tried but still had the random accident here and there when we went on our cruise, so here was our strategy...

 

first, the kids club is not open all the time, so we limited the time we put him in there - the first few times, just an hour, and then a bit longer each time but never more than 2 hours.

 

second, we made him go potty before we took him up to kids club - figuring if he went in our cabin, he could last 1-2 hours before having to go again.  

 

third, the kids club is open for registration.  Go there and meet the councilors, and show your son where the potty is, so in case he has to go, he knows where it is.  Maybe let him go once in there then.   

 

These worked for us and luckily no accidents.  

[williamsk]

On 2/20/2019 at 11:18 AM, momto2js said:

 The major issue is that the staff are not allowed to help AT ALL.  So if there is an accident, their options are pretty  limited, especially for a male employee (not that it should make a difference, but it often does) parking him in the bathroom may have been the only option.  I am not saying it was not unkind, or the only option.  But because of strict hands off policies, the staff often finds few options.

Sorry the way he talked to my son was also lacking in compassion. He should have been terminated. There is NO reason to use the tone of voice that he did with a 3 yo.  Anyone who has ever traveled knows your stomache can be upset. Anyone who works in a preschool room knows that accidents are part of life. We didn't even know his stomache was upset when we checked him in. The guy was a straight out a$$. At minimum you know child is sobbing by himself, you stand outside, reassure. You don't make him feel bad and repeatedly tell him he is out of the program (1st incident.. even if he is you say that to the parents out of earshot). You should clear other kids from area to get a parent back there asap. My daughter was in a different age group standing outside restroom as he sobbed. It was a good ten minutes before they moved her. He was too busy going off and lecturing my husband while my son cried. In the other area you can see the shared hallway with restroom. I was waiting for 15 plus minutes watching area on the other side until my husband was finally allowed back (I was waiting for older sister). Bottom line the man shouldn't be in customer service let alone with 3 year olds who don't have the capacity to defend themselves. It should have been handled differently.

[cabin4three]

Hi OP,   no doubt you have already tried this but we found changing from the awesome dryfeel nappies (diapers) which keep toddlers feeling dry  We switched to cheaper ones that felt wet when our son had wet.    He was able to to feel when he was wet, it did help as he then asked for a nappy change.

 Agree with poster above about just having short visits to the kids club, at three its easy to get distracted and have an accident.

Enjoy your cruise

[jjtt]

Hi all! I just booked a family cruise for next summer on Adventure! One person going will turn 3 the week after we return from our cruise. Will she be able to attend Adventure Ocean if she is potty trained? I'm not sure how strict they are on the age? Thanks to the OP for asking this question. 

[mjkacmom]

2 hours ago, jjtt said:

Hi all! I just booked a family cruise for next summer on Adventure! One person going will turn 3 the week after we return from our cruise. Will she be able to attend Adventure Ocean if she is potty trained? I'm not sure how strict they are on the age? Thanks to the OP for asking this question. 

I’m guessing no, they are strict about ages (I’m guessing mostly for insurance reasons).